How to make ★Homemade MISO★from scratch!～みその作り方～（EP79）
Miso is the essential seasoning in Japanese cooking.
We can buy good Miso at any grocery store but homemade is always special.
It takes about one year from start to finish. Is it worth making it?
Definitely, YES!
It tastes so natural and deep. You will never go back to commercially made Miso once you taste it.
Commercially made Miso is added fermentation accelerator, and it is made in a much short period time.
On the contrary, homemade Miso takes time as long as it takes to get the best status without adding any chemicals.
Time produces the aroma and probiotics, which extremely good for your health.
Homemade Miso is called “Temae-Miso,” and it is greatly appreciated.
Speaking of “Temae Miso,” we have a unique usage for the phrase.
We use the phrase “Temae Miso,” as an adjective to express achievement in a very humble way.
For example,
“Temae-miso” but, my son performs well in the speech contest, and he got the first prize.
If you put the phrase “Temae Miso,” before you start talking, people won’t take it as a boast.
I think this is very Japanese.
In other words,
I am such a humble person to make Miso from scratch instead of buying. I am not proud of my son at all, but let me just tell you.
Lol.
Ideally, start making at the beginning of winter.
The temperature is dropping, which is suitable for the fermentation process.
I always start making Miso in November.
Let’s go on a Miso journey with me!
Homemade Miso
Ingredients
- 1 kg soybeans (2.2 pounds)
- 1 kg rice Koji (2.2 pounds)
- 400 g sea salt (0.9 pound)
Instructions
- Rinse the soybeans. Soak in cold water overnight or at least 8 hours.
- The next day, the soybeans are fully re-hydrated. The bean swell 3 times bigger than the dry.
- Drain and put in a pot. Add water to cover, turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil.Turn the heat to low, remove the form. There will be so much forms. Cover with the lid, simmer for 2 hours or until soft. Make some space to avoid boiling over.Or, you can cook in a pressure cooker. It's going to take 10 mins.Soybean should be so soft that you can mash with your finger easily.
- Drain the soybeans and transfer to a bowl. Keep the bean water for later use. Mash the beans with a masher, or use food processor to get smooth paste. You can leave small chunks if you like.
- Sterilize the mixing bowl with alcohol. Use boiling water if you don't want to use alcohol. Mix rice koji and salt in a bowl. Leave out 2 to 3 tbs salt for later use.Add in 2 to 3 tbs bean water to moisten the koji and salt mixture.Add if you need more to get the consistency as the soybean paste.
- Mix koji and salt mixture and soybean paste well.
- Shape into a ball. Make sure no air inside. Pack in a container.Tap the surface with your palm and pack tightly as much as you can. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining salt. Cover the surface with bamboo leaves or a piece of plastic.
- Put the weight on top; it should be the same wieght as miso paste.Cover with a paper and let it sit in cool dark place for 6 months.
- After 6 months, it's the time to "Tenchi Gaeshi". It means "Turn sky and soil over." Poetic. Lol.Take off the weight and bamboo leaves. Take out the fungus. It's not harmful but I don't want that.Give it a stir. Scoop the Miso from bottom to top and mix well.
- Transfer to a sterilized container again, and keep it in a fridge.It's the rainy season in Japan. If we leave it at room temperature, the Miso will go bad.Keep in the fridge for another 6 months and it's done!